


Firen Lhain:  Season 3

by RWBY Dialogues (Weatherman667)



Series: Firen Lhain [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, F/M, Faunus AU, Harems, Jaune Dominant, Major Character Injury, Multi, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:34:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27133939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weatherman667/pseuds/RWBY%20Dialogues
Summary: Pollinated Knight (lancaster, white knight, knightshade, dragonslayer, white rose, ladybug, sunshine, checkmate, freezerburn, and bumblebee)Long-run, parallel to Volume 3.   Focusing on the out of focus moments; focusing on direct character interaction.Underaged because of Ruby.I'm far enough ahead that I'm changing the update schedule to Wednesdays and Saturdays, usually at 0530-0600 PST (-8 GMT)Season 4 starts Saturday.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Ruby Rose, Blake Belladonna/Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Blake Belladonna, Jaune Arc/Blake Belladonna/Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune Arc/Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc/Weiss Schnee, Jaune Arc/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Ruby Rose/Yang Xiao Long, Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long
Series: Firen Lhain [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765852
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	1. The Colour of Dreams

"So," Jaune stated, "as you all know, today is the first day of the Vytal festival. So, in the name of team spriit, we need to have a group hug."

As soon as the word was out of his mouth, Nora was flying at him with open arms. He caught her with one hand, and she hung from his shoulder. She then reached up with one hand to grab onto his antler. Pyrrha nervously blushed until he pulled her in with his free hand, and Ren joined the group hug a moment later.

"I wouldn't trade you guys for the world." Jaune stated.

"What about RWBY?" Nora asked, and Jaune just stood there. "Well?.."

"Nora..." Ren admonished.

"They are wonderful friends as well." Pyrrha diplomatically said.

* * *

JNPR shimmied along the stands until they found open seating. As competitors they had choice seats near the front, but ledged down so that Jaune didn't have to worry about blocking anyone's sight. The group sat down and Jaune looked about questioningly.

"I'm sorry?," Pyrrha asked, "but is something the matter? Pyrrha asked.

"I think we should have made posters or something." Jaune replied.

"Then we will just have to cheer with more enthusiasm." Pyrrha excitedly replied.

"I've got that part covered!" Nora exclaimed, while Ren pulled out a paper. He unfolded it, and unfolded it, and unfolded it, and unfolded it, and unfolded it... and it was a banner. Jaune looked at him questioningly.

"You did say we need posters..." Ren replied.

"After... you had made it." Jaune replied.

"It was still a good idea." Ren replied, "If a bit belated."

Pyrrha began waving into the arena, and Jaune looked over to see RWBY walking out, along with the other team.

"We love you!" Nora screamed.

"RWBY!" Jaune buggled, "RWBY! RWBY!"

"Do you think I should throw my bra down there?" Nora asked, and Ren lowered the sign for a moment, just staring at her. "Too much?" she asked.

"Indeed." Ren grumbled, and lifted the sign back up.

The arena began to shake and Jaune stopped shouting. "What's... happening?.."

"They're changing the arena, duh." Nora replied.

"Is this your first time?" Pyrrha asked, as fire and ice came out of the ground surrounding the stolid centre.

"Yes..." Jaune voiced. "Is that a skateboard?" he asked.

"A huntsman's weapon is whatever he wants it to be." Pyrrha delightful said, "Isn't it wonderful?"

"Well, but... like?.." Jaune asked, "Does she fight with it... or just she just fly around on it?.."

"I do believe," Ren voiced, "that we will find out shortly."

"Why aren't you cheering?!" Nora shouted, and Jaune and Pyrrha started cheering once again.

* * *

"Did she just punch her skateboard?" Jaune asked.

"Less talk." Nora stated, "More cheering."

In reply Jaune started cheering once again.

* * *

Yang and Arslan punch's collides, causing a visible and audible shockwave. 'Aura fighting aura.' Jaune thought to himself.

* * *

"Come on Yang!" Jaune shouted, "You've got more fight in you!", and a wobbling Yang steadied herself as Arslan jumped at her.

* * *

The pink-haired guy nearly shot Yang, but was frozen by ice dust from Crescent Rose. 'Overwatch is important.' Jaune thought to himself. 'Something my team is not so good at. Honestly, they... literally... dive in head first. Well, Nora does, and Ren quickly follows...

* * *

Jaune watched Ruby and Weiss fight the stick guy. Stupid stick guy. With his stupid stick. They were purposefully missing with their blades... but... the Aura still hit... He thought Aura would stop the attacks... unless... they were worried about it being too strong... or were just hesitant. RWBY?.. hesitant?..

* * *

Jaune watched Weiss summon... what... a black hole?, that sucked the two guys in together. That was what you could do with dust. His jaw then went slack when Weiss caused a hand of ice to come up and grab the two. "What in the good god was that?!"

"Wicked-awesome is what it was!" Nora shouted.

"Indeed!" Pyrrha cheerily added.

And then Jaune's jaw went slack again when Arslan shattered the ice ball... cube... dudes... with one punch... "Wouldn't that hurt? Her... them?.." Jaune asked. "I mean, the shockwave traveled through the whole rock, didn't it?"

"Perhaps?," Ren quietly asked, "That's why Yang was able to take them out with one punch?"

"One punch I could see." Jaune replied.

"THEY DID IT!" Nora screamed.

"Wooooo!" JNP_ cheered.

"More like a WOOOOSH!" Nora exclaimed.

* * *

Jaune watched that green haired girl he hated walk towards RWBY. "Well, she's Ruby's friend..."

"And found her wallet!" Nora excitedly said.

"That is... improbable..." Ren voiced, and Jaune patted him on the shoulder.

"My thoughts exactly."

* * *

Emerald and Mercury walked away from the stand as JNPR walked up.

"I don't see what's so special about being socially awkward." Jaune quietly voiced. "I'm socially awkward too, and I not special."

"I'm sorry..." Pyrrha voiced, "But I'll have to disagree."

"We're like wicked cool." Nora stated. "Okay... we're not... but... we're like a team... right?"

"More than a team." Jaune stated, "We're friends." The rest of his team quickly looked at him him with curious expressions. "Right?"

"Can I?.." Nora quietly asked, and eagerly leaned towards him, "have another group hug?.."

Jaune stopped, rolled his eyes, and smiled. He then picked Nora up for another hug before Pyrrha and Ren joined them.

* * *

"Oh, I think I'm going to throw up." Emerald stated. "Did they seriously just do that?.." Mercury just stared at JNPR as they broke up the hug. "What?" Emerald asked.

"Just curious," Mercury said to her, "what it would be like to have team mates... you actually..."

"Actually what?" Emerald asked.

"Though," Mercury said, looking her in the eyes, "you might already know..."

"Know what?!" Emerald demanded, and Mercury developed a wide smile.

"If you keep that up, you might break your peppy disguise." Mercury said with a grin, and Emerald just sighed, trying her best to force a smile. "Why am I the one that has to pretend to be their friend?"

"I don't know?.." Mercury bitingly said to her, "Maybe you just have a friendly face?"

"Let's just get back to the dorm room." Emerald replied, and turned to walk way. Mercury quickly walking behind her.

* * *

JNPR watched as the credit card was thrown back at Weiss. "What's going on?.." Jaune worriedly asked.

"Looks like her card got declined..." Nora matter of factly stated, as if it happens all the time. That certainly wasn't the way Jaune was brought up... and for Weiss... a Schnee... this was...

Pyrrha saw the distressed look on Jaune's face and stepped forward. "Maybe I could help?" Pyrrha asked.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Aww..." Yang stated, "You don't have to..."

"But she could!" Blake exclaimed.

"Well..." Pyrrha's soothing voice replied, "I think you all earned it after that battle."

"Mind if we join you?" Jaune asked, and Ruby eagerly wagged her tail.

* * *

JNPR stood in the changeroom. Pyrrha walked towards the arena-side exit, Ren slowly behind her. Jaune put his hand on Nora's shoulder. She turned around to look him in the eyes, the other two pausing to look at them. "Nora," Jaune said to her, "we... have nothing to lose. No one is going to die, if we fail, we're not going to flunk out. The worst that will happen is that we will be the goofballs..."

"A position we already seem to hold..." Ren quietly voiced.

"Look, Nora..." he said, and she looked up into his eyes, "If anyone says anything to us about it, what do we say in reply?"

"Uh?.." Nora thought, "We'll break their legs?"

A pregnant pause followed as Jaune tried not to be judgemental. "Good answer, but no. We tell them THAT WE TRIED. They had just as much of a chance to be here as we did, and they didn't. We fought, they sat on the sidelines." Jaune then looked between all three of his team mates, "I know we're all going to do our best, and I want to tell everyone that I'm proud of you."

Nora wiped something out of her eyes and quickly turned to dash towards the arena-side exit. Ren and Pyrrha quickly turned as well. All three trying to hide the moistness in their eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/632588548272504832/firen-lhain-chapter-301-the-colour-of-dreams) tumblog.


	2. Verdant Bronze

Peter Port's voiced echoed across the stadium, "For our next match we have Team JNPR from Vale against team BRNZ from Shade!"

JNPR looked across the field from BRNZ, both teams at the ready as the clock counted down. "That girl is pretty cute." Jaune stated.

"Is this reeaallllyy the time?.." Nora asked.

"What do you think, Ren?" Jaune asked.

"Indeed." Ren stated.

"Wha?.." Nora asked.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah?" she joyfully asked him.

"Make sure he gets through."

"Oh!" she excitedly exclaimed.

"Wait, what?" Nora asked, "What about me?" And Jaune sighed.

"Nora, when we're in a fight, and I DON'T tell you what to do, what do you do?" Jaune asked. The count down reached zero and Pyrrha threw her shield. It bounced off the three male members of BRNZ while May made a brake for the woods. A moment later Ren had passed through the three men in his pursuit of May.

"Pyrrha." Jaune stated, as she was using her spear to trip one of the male members. Once finshed she jumped back. Jaune stepped up beside her, both with shields raised. Jaune then looked back at Nora.

"Got it!" Nora exclaimed. She stood on her hammer and launched herself into the air.

"So, guys?" Jaune casually said to BRN_, "You... probably don't want to stand there."

They looked up to see Nora crashing down, and all jumped away. They were knocked away by a large, pink explosion. Jaune and Pyrrha would have been affected if they didn't have their shields raised.

May used her rifle to grapple her way up a tree, but when she tried to take aim she found the blade of Ren's PetalStorm hooked into her weapon, which he tried to to use to disarm her. She moved with the pull and fell out of her position in the tree. She used her rifle to swing from another tree branch up to a new vantage point. She turned to see Ren calmly standing on a tree branch, eyes tired, almost indifferent to her. She then tried to take aim down range once again, moved out of the way just in time to avoid Ren's attack. She swung to a different branch, and once again turned to look at him. He once again stood there, calmly, not really even looking at her.

"What's your damage, yo?" May asked.

"I am quite content." Ren stated.

BRN_ had climbed back onto their feet, and each was facing off against a member of team JNPR. Nolan dodged the mighty swing of Nora's hammer and struck at her with his shock rod.

"Oh-ho!" Professor Port's hologram exclaimed, "Looks like one of my favourite students, Nora Valkye is charging up to use her Semblance!" Nolan looked up at the screen with a panicked look as Nora developed a wicked, intense look.

"Yes." Doctor Oobleck's hologram quickly stated, "Ms. Valkyrie's Semblance lets her produce, as well as channel, electrical energy straight to her muscles! This allows her to jump explosively into the air, wield her mighty hammer, or in this case, absorb Nolan's attacks and send the young man flying!"

Nolan turned back to Nora, "What?!" he exclaimed, and Nora and her hammer sped towards him at unbelievable speed, that he found himself thrown back, breaking through a boulder.

Jaune looked up at the lightning dancing about the mountaintop. It was like a light went off in his head. "Nora!" he shouted, "Get to the mountain!"

"You got it, leader!" Nora shouted back, and dashed off.

May tried to aim at Ren, but by the time she had aimed, he was no longer there. He wasn't making any move towards her. She smiled a subtle smile, and aimed once again at Ren's team mates. This time when he made his move May was ready for him. She moved in the opposite direction, and Ren found himself off balance, flying through the woods. This gave May enough time to properly aim at Nora as she arced towards the mountain. Jaune saw this and shouted at Pyrrha, as he caught Brawnz's claw with his shield, "Pyrrha! Up!"

Pyrrha dodged Roy's blades, quickly knocking him down. She then dashed towards Jaune. Jaune fought off Brawnz to make enough space to raise his shield. Pyrrha stepped onto it and he launched her into the air. She spiraled into the air, turning towards the shot just in time to block it with her shield. By this time Ren had caught up to her. She tried to strike Ren with the butt of her rifle, but he parried it with his bare hand, but made no attempt to retaliate, and she just looked at him.

"What are you, like a zombie or something?" May asked, and Ren just gave her a self-assured smile. Nora, meanwhile lifted her hammer above her head to take the lightning strike. She then turned Magnhild into a grenade launcher and fired a volley at May. She looked at where Ren had just been, only to see him disappeared. "When did he?.." May asked, only to be hit by an extremely large pink explosion. Nora then jumped down from the mountain. She was surrounded by an electrical field, and struck the ground with terrible force, knocking the three male members of BRNZ away, towards where a limping May stood. Pyrrha bounced off the mountain and guided her way back to where her allies were.

"This is it, guys!" Jaune exclaimed. "Let's finish 'em with team attacks!" Jaune then raised his sword above his head. "Ren! Nora! Flower Power!"

"Wait, what?" Nora asked.

Jaune then lowered his blade with a befuddled look, "F-Flower Power." _NPR shrugged, "It's your team attack!"

"Since when?" Ren asked, and May did a double take from the trees to where Ren stood now.

"Guys," Jaune said to his team mates, "we've been over this... Flower Power is Ren and Nora! Ren brings the flower, Nora brings the power!"

"How do I bring a flower?" Ren asked.

"No, silly," Nora said to him, "not a flower, flour, as in baking." Jaune just looked at her with an exhascerbated look.

"Why would I bring that?" Ren asked.

"I, uh, no." Jaune stated, "It's your symbol."

Pyrrha leaned towards Jaune, trying to hide her nervously and excitement, "What are we?"

* * *

Nora knocked BRNZ into the force field with one swing of her hammer.

* * *

JNPR stood in the locker room. "Guys, we're going to need to have a talk about this."

"But!.." Nora voiced, "I mean... we won!"

"Nora." Ren admonished. She looked at him questioningly before visibly sighing.

"All-riigghhtt." she stated.

"Ren, do you know of a tea stand?" Jaune asked.

"Why would I?.." Ren started to asked.

"Because you're really into tea." Jaune stated, "And right now I could use some."

"He's not wrong." Nora stated.

"I think it sounds lovely." Pyrrha giddly added, and Jaune scowled at her.

* * *

JNPR sat around a Mistral tea stand, drinking from their tea. "I want to start off," Jaune stated, "by telling everyone how proud I am of them. I don't think we've ever fought that well before. Well, except for Pyrhha."

"I'm sorry..." she said, and bowed, "but I've never had a team I could rely on before..."

"All... right..." Nora sheepishly asked, "If you're not mad, why do you look like?.."

"He tasted something sour." Ren voiced.

"It's..."

"Our team attacks... wasn't it..." Pyrrha voiced, "I'm... I'm so sorry..."

"No..." Jaune stated, "We were doing so well before I called out the attacks..."

"Then perhaps that was out mistake?" Ren asked.

"But?.." Jaune asked, "It works for RWBY?"

"Okay... but?.." Nora asked, "how did Ren know... when you?.."

"Because his heart yet belongs to another." Ren stated.

"He was drawing Ren's attention to her." Pyrrha added, "The why was not as important."

"Okay..." Nora asked, "You wanted to point her out to Ren, so he could stop her?.."

"Did you not hear our instructions?" Ren asked her with a smile, "Our leader was quite specific."

"I was?" Jaune asked.

"You told us we did not have to win." Ren quipped.

"He... what?.." Nora asked.

"My goal was not to defeat her." Ren stated, "My goal was to frustrate her."

"Ooo-kaayy..." Jaune voiced, "That does sound like something I would say."

"Indeed." Ren said with glee. "It was quite a successful strategy." Ren added.

"Okay?" Nora asked, "But what about me and the lightning."

Jaune simply looked at her for a moment. "Nora?"

"Yes, Leader?" she asked.

"Whenver we're in a fight?" Jaune continued.

"Yes?" Nora asked.

"You should always make your way to the lightning."

"That is a wise strategy." Ren quipped.

"It is..." Pyrrha nervously voiced, "Electric." She then let out a giggle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/633222715542831104/firen-lhain-chapter-302-verdant-bronze) tumblog.


	3. Ruffled Feathers

Ruby and Weiss watched as Winter, Qrow, and General Ironwood walked away.

"Soooo?.." Ruby asked, "sisters, huh?" and Weiss exhaled. "Pretty Weissy, too, I mean..."

Weiss sighed and hung her head, "I... know you don't mean anything by it... but... am I really that Weissy?"

"Oh, I mean... " Ruby tried to say, "Nope. You're - not - Weissy - at - all..."

Weiss turned and looked her in eyes, "And is that really that hard to say?.." Weiss accusingly asked her and looked soulfully into Ruby's eyes, and Ruby nervously looked about, trying not to freak out. She forced a smile. Weiss stood at attention.

"Oh!" Ruby exclaimed, as something just occured to her.

"Dare I ask?.." Weiss nervously asked.

"It's just something Jaune said." Ruby replied.

"Jaune?" Weiss headily asked.

"Oh, it's just that..." Ruby voiced, "you..."

"I?.." Weiss asked.

"You nag because you love."

Weiss' eyes grew wide and a moment later she gasped. She bent forward, looking like she was almost about to fall over. Ruby rushed over to grab her, helping her to her feet. Weiss then gasped for breath. "Oh - my - dear..."

"Deer?" Ruby asked, "Like Jaune."

Weiss looked like she had a headache and breathed in deep. She lightly shook her head. "No. I'm afraid..." She then breathed in deeply once again. "I AM afraid?!" she nearly panicked.

"I'm here." Ruby said to her.

"But... but how?.." Weiss asked. Ruby nearly panicked and could only think of one thing: she stepped forward and hugged Weiss. Weiss' eyes grew incredibly wide, and just stood there for a moment. Ruby eventually let her go. Weiss adjusted her clothing for a moment before looking Ruby in her eyes. "Th... thank you..." It was Ruby's turn to look at her with an incredibly wide, surprised eyes. Weiss then cleared her throat. "So... do... do I?.." she nervously asked.

"Uh?.." Ruby asked.

"AM - I - WEISSY?!" Weiss asked, and Ruby looked about in a panick. "I dare say it's true."

"Oh... psssh... You're not Weissy, I mean..." Ruby tried to say.

"I am not?" Weiss quietly asked her, "the thing, that is quite literally named after me?.."

"Uh... no?.." Ruby tentatively asked.

"I'm not mad." Weiss to her.

"Oh, thank the good god." Ruby exclaimed, "I mean..."

Weiss reached forward and grabbed Ruby by the shoulders, immediately silencing her. "I suppose... at times... I can be difficult... but I do care..."

"So... he's right?" Ruby asked, and Weiss oh-so-very lightly nodded

"I would appreciate your discretion." Weiss voiced.

"You have..." Ruby said, pausing a moment to find her words, "my ut-most..."

"Please?" Weiss pleaded, "You don't have to..." and Ruby let out a huge sigh of relief. Ruby then pantomimed zipping up her lips and throwing away the key. "Pardon?"

"I zip up my lips, and throw away the key!" Ruby exclaimed.

"I'm sorry... you... what?.."

"Do... they not do that in Atlas?.." Ruby asked.

"To the best of my knowledge, no," Weiss stated, "but it occurs to me that I am... far... from the average citizen..."

"That just means you're special" Ruby said with a brilliant smile, and Weiss just stared at her.

"You are also... quite... exceptional..." Weiss replied, "I doubt Remnant could survive if there were too many more. Now that the moment has passed, who was that ruffian attacking my sister?"

"Oh, pfft." Ruby replied, "That's my Uncle Qrow."

"That fashion sense seems to run in the family..." Weiss stated, "Maternal or Paternal?"

"Huh?" Ruby asked.

"If she your mother's brother or father's brother?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, that?!" Ruby asked.

"Yes?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, he's... the brother... of Yang's mother..."

Weiss blinked at her a couple times. "Sorry, I did not mean to... I mean?.."

"Hm?" Ruby asked.

"You... and Yang... don't have the same mother?" Weiss asked.

"I thought you knew?.." Ruby asked.

"I... did not... wish... to pressume..." Weiss stated.

"Pre... sume... what?" Ruby asked.

"That..." Weiss said, and paused, her skin fluttered every hue of blue. She breathed in deeply to calm herself, and it turned into a dull light blue. "I... did not want to imply there was any impropriety in your family."

"Huh?" Ruby asked.

"I did not want to imply either Yang or yourself were illegitimate."

"Are... you saying we can't read?" Ruby asked.

"That's illiterate." Weiss quickly stated.

"And illegitimate means?.." Ruby asked.

"Born out of wedlock." Weiss stated.

"What lock?" Ruby asked.

"That your parents were not married." Weiss stated.

"I had a mom and dad." Ruby stated, "Yang had two moms and a dad."

Weiss looked like she was having a seizure. "Your mother was?.."

"Summer?" Ruby asked.

"And was she married to your father?" an annoyed Weiss asked.

"I don't know?" Ruby asked, "She died when I was young."

"And Yang?" Weiss asked.

"Well, yeah, but not as young..." Ruby stated.

"Who was Yang's mother?" Weiss ggressively asked.

"You mean Raven?" Ruby asked.

Weiss breathed in deeply once again, closing her eyes for a moment. "Were they married?"

"I REALLY don't know." Ruby stated. "What does it matter?"

"Perhaps less in Patch then it does amongst the elite in Atlas." Weiss grumbled.

"I guess not." Ruby stated.

"Is Raven still around?" Weiss asked.

"She left.. a long time ago..." Ruby answered.

"I'm... I'm terribly sorry..." Weiss said to her, stepping forward, holding her arm to Ruby, almost as if she were to grab her. Almost... "I did not mean..."

"It..." Ruby stated, "It means a lot to Yang... Even... if she never wants to talk about it..."

"I'm terribly sorry..." Weiss tried to say.

"No..." Ruby stated, "Stop that."

"Stop?.." Weiss asked.

Ruby then stepped towards her until their faces were inches apart. "Stop being so Weissy."

Weiss glared at her for a moment. "The definition of - Weissy - seems to have changed in the past few minutes..."

"You nag," Ruby said to her, "because you care."

Weiss nervously looked down, "I... do..."

"And we love you for it." Ruby stated, and pulled Weiss in for a hug. Weiss just staring with wide eyes.

* * *

NPR walked up to the range, where they saw Jaune drawing his bow. He forced himself into the bow, causing a look of shock on Ren's face. Jaune loosed the bow and it struck a target at least 200 yards away, deeply imbedding inside it. Jaune then turned to look at them. "Oh, hi guys!"

"Leader!" Nora exclaimed and waved at him, as they walked up. Jaune walked away from the firing line and up to them. "That was wicked cool, but shouldn't we be doing... I don't know... something... about the tournament?"

Jaune put his right hand on Nora's shoulder. "We did wonderfully."

"We did!" Pyrrha cheerfully said.

"We don't want to stress ourselves out over it." Jaune continued.

"But... isn't... like?.." Nora asked, "Visualization important to victory."

"It can be." Pyrrha stated, "But many a match has been lost because one of the competitors stressed themselves out over the tournament."

"And that's saying something," Nora replied, "coming from Pyrrha."

Pyrrha hung her head and shoulders. "It's... true..." Pyrrha voiced, and then looked back up at them. "As my reputation grew, so did the battles I could win because my opponents were too stressed out. It... almost felt like cheating..."

"I must ask..." Ren voiced, "about your archery technique?"

Jaune then held his bow out to Ren who nervously took it. Ren tried to draw the pull but failed. "200lbs." Jaune stated, and Ren looked at him with surprise.

"The high angle?" Ren asked.

"You... get used... to predicting the angle..." Jaune voiced. Ren tried once again to draw the bow and once again failed. "Is archery different in Mistral?"

"In... deed..." Ren voiced, "It's focus... is on quietness of spirit..."

"That's... kind of the opposite... of how I was trained..." Jaune voiced. Ren then handed him his bow back. "I did tell you all to relax."

"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha exclaimed, and bowed her head, "But curiosity got the better of us."

"As long as you guys are relaxing." Jaune stated, and walked back to the firing line. He nocked and drew, lifitng the bow high into the air before loosing. The three thought they could feel the force of the bow as it snapped back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/633860662572072961/firen-lhain-chapter-303-ruffled-feathers) tumblog.


	4. Chapter 4

Firen Lhain: Chapter 304: Summer Princess

"You should try rollerblading sometime!" Neon Katt exclaimed "It's _super_ fun!" She started rapidly spinning in place. It'd probably take you a while, though, since you're so... you know, top-heavy."

Yang angrily stared at her. Jaune simply stared from the stands. Pyrrha crossed her arms over her chest, "Well, she's not wrong."

"And EXACTLY how is that a bad thing?!" Nora exclaimed.

"I suppose it's a matter of perspective." Ren added.

"Well," Nora continued, "Jaune seems to think they are pretty impressive, right Leader?"

"Hm?" Jaune asked without looking away, "Huh?"

* * *

"ooh," Neon Katt stated, "Flashy eyes. You know, you're actually kind of pretty when you're angry."

Jaune paused his cheering. "What's up, Leader?" Nora asked him.

"I believe he agrees." Pyrrha added.

* * *

"You're fat!" Neon Katt shouted, and Jaune jumped up from his seat. He found the hands of Pyrrha and Ren on his shoulders, and turned to look them in the eyes. He wasn't allowed to intervene. The only thing he could do was sit and silently loathe.

* * *

Weiss tackled Flynt into the erupting lava, and JNPR fell silent.

"It appears we have a double knockout on our hands!" Professor Port's voice echoed across the arena.

"In fact, it looks as though Miss Schnee's Aura has been completely depleted!" Doctor Oobleck quickly added. "She sacrificed herself to take out Flynt!"

Jaune once again leapt to his feet, this time Nora wrapping her arms about his waist to try an anchor him in place. It did not stop him, but that fact it was Nora did, and he sighed.

"I'm sorry, but if we..." Pyrrha tried to say.

"RWBY would forfeit." Jaune finished, and nearly spat.

"Wait a minute. What's this!?" Doctor Oobleck shouted, and all eyes were on the clearing smoke, with Flynt barely standing in it's wake.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Professor Port shouted, "Flynt Coal remains standing!"

Flynt begins walking toward Yang, a look of pure anger on his face. Neon skated back over towards him. "You did it, Flynt! Don't worry about her, she's easy!

"I'm going to!.." Jaune exclaimed.

"What?" Pyrrha pleaded.

"Ohh?" Nora asked, "Do we get to break his legs?"

"But kind of annoying." Neon stated.

Yang clutched her fists with seething rage, a rage Jaune could feel as well.

* * *

The geiser launched Neon into the air, where she was hit by Yang's fireshot, sparkling beautifully. The moment the buzzer sounded, Jaune had jumped down into the arena. He found Ren's hand on his shoulder, and looked over to see Ruby and Blake rushing into the arena, far faster than he could. He sighed and turned away.

* * *

Jaune stood outside, looking up at RWBY's dorm room, (at least he hoped it was). "Yang?" he shouted, and a few minutes later she opened the windows, looking about questioningly.

"Sup, dude?!" she called back.

"Can we talk?" Jaune shouted

"I'll be right down." Yang said, and turned away from the window to the door. This caused Weiss to scoff, only to end up coughing.

"I half expected you to jump from the window."

"You know what?" Yang asked, and looked to the window with an... excited look on her face.

"You wouldn't?" Weiss asked, coughing a moment later. This time Ruby quickly moved up beside her. "I'm... quite alright..." Weiss voiced, and Yang ran up to the window, jumping out.

"You'd better catch me!" Yang shouted as she flew out of the window. Jaune turned back to the window and carefully caught her.

"Uh?.." Jaune asked.

"Nice catch!" Blake shouted from the window, holding her thumb up.

"Uh, thanks?!" Jaune asked, and looked down at Yang in his arms, her brown scales nearly glowing orange..

"So, what's up?" Yang asked, and Jaune carefully put her down.

"First off... how... is Weiss doing?" Jaune asked.

Yang looked disappointed for a moment before nodding her head. "Medics checked her out. Worst she got was a bit of smoke inhalation. Needs to drink a bit of water now and again."

* * *

Ruby forcibly held up a water bottle, forcing Weiss to gulp it down.

* * *

"But Ruby's seeing to that." Yang added.

Jaune breathed in and out deeply. "Good... good..."

"Is that all you?.." Yang nervously asked.

"And how are you doing?" Jaune asked.

"Didn't you see me?" Yang asked, "We kicked their ass."

"I saw..." Jaune voiced, "and heard... every moment..."

Yang's expression immediately saddened, her scales turning from orange to closer to red. "You don't have to..." She said, and tried to turn away. Jaune grabbed her wrist and turned her around, pulling her into a hug.

"I just want you to know how amazing you are." Jaune voiced, and the red flush turned back to orange. "Nothing she said about you was true. Except the top heavy part, but that's like absolutely amazing..." He looked her in the eyes and turned around with a blush. "I should probably stop talking."

"Did... anyone ever tell you that you're like... an amazing hugger?" Yang asked, and Jaune looked back over his shoulder at her.

"Only my seven sisters... and mother..." Jaune replied. "I only had a few things to keep me safe... seven sisters is just way too many."

"I don't suppose you could fight back?" Yang asked, leaning forward a bit with a smile on her face.

"I was the son... they were the daughters... they were allowed to pick on me... but..."

"Someone had to stand up in the family?" Yang asked, and Jaune nodded.

"My main defences were hugging, being annoying, and just running for it." Jaune said to her, and then reached his hand out to her. She grabbed his hand and they just stood there, looking each other in the eyes.

"Thanks." Yang quietly said to him, and then looked back up at the window. She then looked back to him, "You mind giving me a boost?"

Jaune smiled and stepped foward, hunching down, holding out his hand. Yang jumped up into his hand and he threw her at the window.

"Coming in!" Yang shouted.

"She cannot possibly mean to..." Weiss said, as she turned to the window, only to see Yang come flying in.

"He's really got a good arm." Yang stated, and then looked at Weiss, "Oh, and Ice Princess, the first thing he did was ask about you."

Weiss scoffed, and then coughed, and then turned to glare at Ruby who had another bottle of water ready. Ruby quietly backed down... for now...

* * *

Jaune walked into his dorm. "Hey." he said.

"How'd it go?" Nora asked him.

"I'm apparently a good hugger." Jaune replied.

"Well, I could have told you that." Nora stated.

"I do believe you have." Ren voiced,

"See?!" Nora asked.

"So?" Jaune replied, "Where's Pyrrha."

"Professor Ozpin had something to speak with her about." Ren stated.

"You don't think she's in trouble, do you?" Nora asked.

"If she was in trouble," Jaune said to her, "it ws because we dragged her there." He then quickly looked over this shoulder back to the door. He quickly looked back, looking between Ren and Nora. "What did you do?"

"Why do you assume it was us?" Nora asked.

"Why?.." Ren voiced, "ever... would that be?"

"I swear I haven't done anything." Nora replied.

"She is like an ace student?" Jaune asked, "So maybe it's good?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/634132465932435456/firen-lhain-chapter-304-summer-princess) Tumblog.


	5. I was so worried.

"Pyrrha!" Ruby said excitedly.

"Hm?" Pyrrha replied.

"You be sure to win one for Beacon, okay?" Ruby asked.

"It's what Yang would want." Weiss added.

Pyrrha looked about for a moment before looking back to the door, "I'll... do my best..."

"I'll be sure to watch tonight incase you're picked!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Sorry," Blake voiced, "but I think I've had enough fun for one evening..."

"Ditto." Weiss echoed. "Coffee?" she asked Blake.

"Tea." Blake replied.

* * *

Pyrrha smiled a faint smile at the antics of her team mates... it made her life easier...

"If it looks the same coming up as it does going down, something's wrong." Nora stated.

"Hey," Jaune gently voiced "how about we get some fresh air?"

* * *

JNPR walked along Beacons grounds. "Are we sure this is the best thing to do before the battle?" Nora asked, "I mean..."

"Everyone's battle prep is different." Jaune stated, "Ren drinks his algae, you lift weights..."

"It's quite all right..." Pyrrha stated, "In fact, it's quite wonderful. I... am not... good... at saying such things... but the time I've spent with you... all... has been the best time of my life... Whatever happens, know that I will forever cherish the time we have spent together."

"Whatever happens?" Nora asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means... we might not always..." Pyrrha said with a wisp of saddness, "get to spend... time... together... like this..."

"Even if we grow apart," Jaune stated, "I know we'll always be friends."

"I do..." Pyrrha voiced, "hope... that this will come to pass."

"I have enjoyed our time together as well." Ren voiced.

* * *

Jaune fell to the ground, the impact having left an imprint on the wall, "What... did I say?.." he quietly asked, and then dropped his head, looking at the ground.

* * *

Jaune approached RWBY's room, when the guards stood in his way, and he just stared down at them. "I'm just here to speak with my friend." Jaune said to them with well reasoned force. One of the guards looked at his weapon. He pulled it off his belt and passed it to him. "Just don't play with it." he grumbled. He then stepped through the guards, the guards moving back to their posts at the side of the door. Jaune opened the door and ducked through. Yang looked up, quite surprised that it was Jaune there.

"You just walk into my room?" Yang asked.

"Jail cell?" Jaune asked. "If you let me close the door we can talk?" Yang's jaw was a bit slack, but she nodded. Jaune closed the door and walked inside, sitting on the ground in front of Blake's bed. Yang leaned forward, looking him in the eyes.

"You?.." she quietly asked, and Jaune held up his hand, causing her to stop.

"You're saying that Mercury attacked you, right?" Jaune asked.

"That's what... that's what I saw..." Yang nervously said. "You... believe me?"

"In order to do that..." Jaune voiced, "there would have to be another culprit."

"Merc attacked me." Yang firmly said to him.

"You SAW him attack you?" Jaune asked.

"Well, yeah..." Yang replied. "But, I mean, what does that mean?"

Jaune breathed in deeply for a moment. "Remember the match beween Coco and Yatsuhashi, and Mercury and Emerald?" Jaune asked.

"What about it?" Yang asked.

"Coco acted surprised." Jaune stated.

"Huh?" Yang asked.

"She... saw something in the woods..." Jaune voiced.

"What are you saying?" Yang asked.

"I've never liked Emerald." Jaune voiced, "Something about her makes my antlers ache. During your match, she looked more intense once Mercury was defeated, and you were walking away."

"The hell!" Yang exclaimed. "We... we... we have to tell someone?"

"That my antlers ache?" Jaune asked, and Yang shyly looked down. "We all believe in you..."

"But... Ironwood said... it might be... stress... or something..."

"You weren't stressed," Jaune stated, and she looked up into his eyes, "you were exilerated. I believe - you saw - Mercury attack you. I just wish there was something I could do about it. But..."

"But?" Yang asked.

"You still won," he said with a bright smile, "and no one can take that away from you."

"I did?," Yang eagerly asked, "didn't I?"

"You earned your victory, and you got it." Jaune stated, "Even if others can't appreciate you like we do."

"Hot damn, when did you get so good?" Yang asked.

Jaune looked surprised, and looked around.

"What?" Yang asked.

"Good at what?" Jaune replied.

"Oh, man." she said with a blush. "You don't know how much I appreciate you coming here; you had better get to the arena. Another girl needs you to watch her fight."

Jaune then stood up, smiling as he looked into her eyes. "You take care."

"Yes, sir." she replied.

Jaune turned to the door, opened it. He ducked through the doors and then stood tall, looking down at the soldier holding his sword. The soldier nervously handed it back to him.

* * *

Jaune ducked as he walked into JNPR's dorm room.

"So, how'd it go?" Nora eagerly asked.

"I told her she could do anything she set her mind to." Jaune sadly replied.

"And her response?" Ren asked.

"She used her Semblance to slam my armour into the wall..." Jaune said, and Ren and Nora just stared at him, "with me in it..." he said, and sighed once again.

"What did you do?" Nora asked.

"That's what I asked." Jaune replied.

"Well... did you chase after her?.." Nora asked him.

"Well, considering she slammed me into a wall..." Jaune voiced, "I figured she didn't want to speak to me..."

"I find that implausible." Ren stated.

"That she would slam me into a wall?" Jaune asked, and Ren shook his head.

"That she wouldn't want to see you, duh." Nora stated.

"Indeed." Ren added.

"So, you're saying?.." Jaune asked, and Nora shoed.

"Shoo!" she shouted, "Shoo!"

Jaune backed up to the door, ducked out, and hurried down the corridor... at least... until he realized he didn't know where she had gone. She did seem to like the vantage points, with views about Beacon, but Beacon... had... a lot of them... Which one... did she go to?.. How... how had he always found RWBY... or Ruby? He always seemed to know where Ruby was... it was...clearer... But... he knew when Blake and Yang had returned from their date... and that they needed help...

Pyrrha... needed him... at least from what Nora and Ren had said... but... but where was she? His soul screamed... and hers seemed quiet in return... but it was there. He started marching down the corridor until it turned into a brief run.

"Mr. Arc!" Glynda shouted, and he slid to a halt. "I suppose you have a good reason for running in the halls?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Goodwitch." Jaune stated, "But Pyrrha needs me."

Glynda breathed in deep for a moment before stepping aside. "Very well." she stated, and Jauned just stared at her. "Mr. Arc?" she asked him, "Did you have not have some place to be?"

"Uh?" Jaune asked, before turning and marching off, quickly building up to a jog. The corridors seemed like a blur until he reached the stairs. They too were a blur until he stepped outside, breathing heavily.

Pyrrha turned to look at him surprised, unsure of what to do. Before she knew what happened, Jaune had run up and pulled her into a hug. She weakly struggled for a moment or two before settling down and hiding her blushing face into his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/634494855888896000/firen-lhain-chapter-305-i-was-so-worried) tumblog.


	6. Morning Star

JNR sat in the contestant seating as they watched Pyrrha and Penny in the ring, as the rest of the finalists walked out.

"WE LOVE YOU PYRRHA!" Nora shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Didn't Ruby say she was going to be here?" Jaune asked, and looked about.

"I'm sure she is." Nora stated. "You have to do it too."

"Do... huh?.. OH! WE LOVE YOU PYRRHA!" Jaune shouted.

"INDEED!" Ren added.

Pyrrha blushed and looked down. The roar of the crowd she was used to. Even the love of her parents... but... the love of... friends... of... him... was altogether different. For the time being she forgot her trepidations and enjoyed being in her element. Here she was, in an arena, with a crowd... with actual guidelines.

"Sal-u-tations, Pyrrha Nikos!" Penny exclaimed, "It's an honor to finally meet you!"

And the moment was gone. Her worry returned, in force. It seemed she could not escape the real world... like most adults claimed. She guessed this meant she was finally an adult. One last image of Jaune flashed into her head before the battle was to begin.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Penny added.

* * *

Pyrrha faltered for a moment, and Jaune leaned forward. "I just wish..." he voiced, "that I could do something for her... I just wish she would let me..."

"I'm sure your presence was comfort enough." Ren stated. "We all have the battles we must wage on our own, but the mear pressence of friends makes the burdens easier to bear."

"I... hope so..." Jaune stated, and saw something... some-one... on the far side of the arena. It was Emerald, and his antlers tingled... ached... "I wish there was something I could do about her. Nora jumped to her feet, though still no taller than even his head.

"Want me to get my hammer?!" she eagerly asked, and Jaune sighed.

"Do I?.." Jauned asked, "but you can't..."

"aww..." Nora voiced, and sadly sat back down.

"We have to be civilized people." Jaune stated.

"If you say so..." Nora sadly added.

Ren then stood up. "Perhaps I could be of some assistance."

"Oh!" Nora exclaimed, "Ninja assassination!"

Ren placed his hand on Nora's shoulder.

"Nora, one, no," Jaune said to her, "and two, shouting ninja assassination is kind of counterproductive."

"Indeed." Ren added.

"Right, right," Nora voiced, "Sneaky."

"Indeed." Ren added, and disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Ren approached Emerald as the battle reached it's crescendo. Whatever it was her Semblance was doing, it was working in overdrive. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she lost her concentration.

The illusory knives disappeared from Pyrrha's sight. Her heart fell as she knew she had overreacted... but... it was too late. Her Aura, her Semblance with the force to stop thousands of knives, pushed the few real ones with ridiculous impulse. Such overzealous power that Pyrrha was forced to watch as the wires cut into her, and ripped, the robot?.. apart?..

She was so uncertain and crestfallen that she fell to her knees. What... had she done?..

Jaune leapt into the arena, completely unsure of what he could do. His heart burned not being able to help her, but if he did... would... would it make it worse? The match was clearly over, how much worse could it get?

Jaune threw what little caution he had to the wind and ran into the arena, when the protective shield flicked and sounded. Everyone looked up to see a Giant Nevermore pecking at the screen, trying to break through. Jaune looked back to Pyrrha and screamed, "Pyrrha!"

But she was still crestfallen, kneeling on the ground, head dropped in fear and shame.

"Pyrrha!" he cried once again, and found a small hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Nora, and his tunnel vision faded. He looked around, seeing people fleeing, hearing their screaming, hearing the scratching and clawing and cawing of Grimm. Of bones snapping, blood spurting, Humans and Faunus crying over their fallen friends. "Pyrrha!," he cried, and the shield flickered and sounded, "it's going to break in! You've gotta move!"

"Jaune?" Nora asked him.

"Pyrrha!," Jaune shouted, "please snap out of it!"

The shield groaned and then snapped, completely disappearing. The Giant Nevermore then crashed onto the arena floor. A moment later it was hit by a stream of rose petals, and Jaune let out a sigh of relief. He took his eyes off the conflict and looked around the arena.

"Ruby?" Pyrrha distantly asked.

Ruby pointed one of Penny's swords at the Giant Nevermore, "Leave her alone!" Jaune looked back around to find Pyrrha's discarded weapons and quickly retrive them.

"Perhaps our own as well?" Ren asked.

"and what?" Jaune asked, "use them to impale the Grimm?"

Ren looked at him with a curious expression, "That is... quite the wonderful suggestion."

"It's what?" Jaune asked, as Nora started playing with her scroll. Jaune looked over to see Ren doing the same thing. He then pulled out his own scroll to summon his locker. Within a minute a cluster of lockers crashed into the arena, many implaing the Giant Nevermore. The many students ran out to their lockers, retieving their weapons. Soon enough the Nevermore began to move once again, shaking all of the students that had climbed on top of it.

* * *

The students all ran up to the airships, all... but Jaune... Pyrrha stopped to look at him questioningly. "If..." Jaune voiced, "I... get on that airship... four others can't. We all know I'm not the best..."

"But..." Nora judgementally said to him, "Leader?!"

"There has to be another way?" Ren asked.

"Like what?.." Jaune sarcastically asked, "tie me to the bullhead?"

"Yes!" Nora exclaimed. "No?"

"It's not like we've got any rope." Jaune stated.

Ren's faced showed that an idea had just come to him. "Perhaps?.. polarity?.."

"SWEEEEEEEEEEEEE..." Nora voiced, and Jaune and Pyrrha looked into each other's eyes.

"EEEEEEEE..." Nora continued.

"Perhaps." Pyrrha said with a brilliant smile and a blush.

"EEEET." Nora finished.

* * *

Pyrrha used her Semblance to press herself against Jaune, her Semblance was in turn holding him to the dorsal hull of the airbus. Something shot out the bottom. Jaune tried to look beyond Pyrrha but couldn't really see anything... other than rose petals.

"Ruby?.." he asked, his voice silenced by the high wind.

"What?" Pyrrha asked.

"What is she thinking?.." Jaune tried to to ask.

* * *

Ruby landed on the outer edge of the floating arena and dashed away on all fours.

* * *

Jaune looked over Pyrrha's shoulder to see the locker flying out of the arena.

"What in The Brothers name is she doing?" Jaune asked. Pyrrha looked him in the eyes, still not understanding what he was saying. All he could do was sigh.

* * *

Jaune could feel the airbus dropping, and Pyrrha vigourously gestured off to the side. Jaune figured it meant they were almost there. He nodded. Pyrrha nodded, and a moment later stopped her Semblance. Jaune started sliding down one side, Pyrrha down the other. The two made a jump as they saw the ground approaching. They flew off to the sides of the airship, landing in turn. The airbus hovered near the ground as the rest began to disembark.

"Leader?!" Nora shouted.

"Aye!" Jaune shouted in reply. Nora and Ren quickly turned to move towards him, but Jaune waved them off. "Center!" Jaune cried, and then turned to the advance and advanced. "Pyrrha, pincer!" Jaune cried.

"On it!" Pyrrha's singsong voice replied.

Jaune swung his sword, cleaving through Beowulves on his track. Ren struck an Ursa with his aura strike while Nora jumped on another one's back and steered him towards the others. Pyrrha was busy elegantly impaling the Creeps as she ran by. Soon enough the four were back together, Nora using Magnhild's haft to break the Ursa' neck. A strange confidence filled Jaune while Pyrrha smiled more than she had in her life. The euphoric mixture of good combat, good friends, and good love filling her to the brim. For the first time since... Ren and Nora felt safe. All was well in the world until Ozpin appeared out of the school. Pyrrha looked towards. She silently said "I'm sorry," thinking perhaps it was the last time, and sadly ran off towards him.

"Where's she going?" Nora asked.

"I'll go find out." Jaune replied, turning towards them before back to the school. "You two stay here and keep fighting." He then turned back to them again, "I want to see you guys alive and well afterwards."

Nora eagerly saluted. "Indeed." Ren stated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/634766661030903808/firen-lhain-chapter-306-morning-star) tumblog.


	7. Evening Star

Blake ran after the Grimm and found it climbing a wall, when she heard a man cry out from pain. She turned to look into the library and her heart fell in her chest. The worst thing she could see was in front of her... it was him... a stone's throw from killing a Human guard. "No..." Blake voiced. "Adam?.."

"Hello, my darling." Adam replied, as if he truly had any affection for her. It was more the tone you would use when a child had run away. All of her history with him flashed before her eyes... his meteoric rise... transcendant glory... and utter destruction of all she held dear... It - was - Adam.

"Running away again?" he said to her, "Is this what you've become... my love..." Despite the sweet words they were dripping with scorn, "A coward?"

* * *

Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ozpin stood on the elevator up to Ozpin's office. This hardly seemed like the time to have a chat. Jaune's left hand was over his shield/scabbard as it was attached to his belt. "Someone want to tell me what's going on here."

"I'm afraid..." Ozpin said, and drank from his coffee cup, "that your dear Ms. Nikos has a choice to make... and unfortunately me must all pay the price for this choice." He once again sipped his coffee.

"Could you?.." Jaune asked.

"Do you think I enjoy doing this, Mr. Arc?" Ozpin asked, "If I could do this under better circumstances, I would... be these are the ones we find ourselves in. The world it seems conspires to rob us of choice."

"Someone want to tell me what's going on here?.." Jaune asked.

"I'm sorry..." Pyrrha bashfully said.

"There is a great deal - going on." Ozpin said to him, "But not enough time to cover even a hair's breadth of it..." He sipped his coffee once again, "The short version of it, indeed, if such a thing even exists, is that I am far more than simply a head master, and Ms. Nikos is far more special than you could possibly know." He sipped his coffee again, "I am also fond of... choice..." he voiced. "It is the most important thing in the world."

"Even in times like these?" Jaune asked.

"It seems these are the only ones we have."

The elevator reached it's apex and the doors opened. Ozpin quickly walked through his office, placing his cup his desk... and this seem to trigger something. His desk moved forward, revealing a stairway. He then looked at Jaune and Pyrrha, "If you two could accompany me?"

* * *

They found themselves on another elevator, this one going down. Deep, down, into the earth. The further the distance they descended, the more nervous Jaune become. At first he just held his hand on his scabbard, but then started to dance to and fro. His stance lowered, his brow furled, his breathing reaching an apex. "Your perceptions, Mr. Arc, are far sharper than most would give you credit for."

Jaune quickly looked at him, sharply, still breathing heavily.

"Mine are far shaper than most give me credit for, as well." Ozpin stated as Jaune looked away, "Mr. Arc." he said, and Jaune quickly, sharply looked back at him. Ozpin was strangely smiling back at him.

"You know?.." Pyrrha quietly asked.

"I know a great many things." Ozpin stated. "For one, Mr. Arc has clearly not attended a combat school. This was something we knew far before you reached this academy."

"Why?.." Pyrrha quietly asked.

"His life was his to throw away." Ozpin stated, and Jaune once again looked sharply at him. "Mr. Arc, Ms. Nikos, would it surprise you to learn that Beacon is never at capacity?"

"But?.." Jaune asked, "aren't there a lot of combat schools?"

"Indeed." Ozpin replied, "but being a Huntsman is far more than simply combat." Jaune looked at him nervously and questioningly. "It's about hope."

"Then?.." Jaune nervously asked, "Why am I?.."

"Here?" Ozpin asked, and Jaune subtly, slowly, hauntingly nodded. "If hope is a requirement?.." Opzin asked, "Then why are you here?.."

Pyrrha reached out to grab Jaune's right hand, and looked him in the eyes.

"This has to be a mistake." Jaune said to Ozpin.

"I have made a great many mistakes in my considerable lifetime," Ozpin stated, "but have not for a moment considered this to be one of them."

Jaune looked between the two of them, his hand still being held by Pyrrha. He saw the confidence she had for him in her eyes, and remembered what his team had said to him. Jaune then looked back to Ozpin. "Alright, if I'm here, then why is Cardin?"

"As you inspire your team," Ozpin stated, "he inspires his... The only problem..." Ozpin said with a painfully quiet voice, "is what he inspires them to... Sadly, this is a lesson I might not have time to teach."

With this the elevator opened up on the bottom, seemingly as far below ground as the tower was above it.

* * *

Cardin looked at his team, his mace over his shoulder. "We're finally together." he said, and paused. "This is our chance."

"What chance?" Dove asked him.

"Our chance to prove ourselves as Huntsmen... and men." Cardin stated. "We see the chaos going on around us, and let's face it... we can't stop it... We _could_ save ourselves, but then what would we be?"

"Less than animals." Sky stated.

"Our mission," Cardin stated, "is to fight... and not die. Don't spread out too much. We fight as a lance. We fight together. We do as much as we can. We do - NOT - stop... until the last Grimm has fallen, or every other team has withdrawn."

"We're going to die here." Russel stated.

"No." Cardin simply said in reply, and turned back towards the Grimm. He shifted his shoulders forward, indicating he was about to move. The others lined up with Russel behind them. Knowing his team was ready he leaned further forward and ran off, the others momentarily behind him.

* * *

Yang wasn't sure what she was feeling. The obvious answer would be pain, but that wasn't it. It was happening too fast to be pain. Suprise, definitely. Regret. Anguish. Disbelief. Oh, there was a lot of disbelief. She couldn't be here, twising in the air, as her arm was missing. Her aura was up. that's how it worked, wasn't it? You had to break aura to hurt a person, didn't you? But if that was true, she wouldn't see her arm floating further away.

She... she hit the ground... her arm hitting the ground a moment later. She just stared at it as she heard screaming. It all seemed to go black when she felt herself being pulled away. It was Blake... the one thing that comforted her at the moment.

* * *

She lay on her back as the medics attended to her... not that they seemed intent on doing much.

"Girl, can you hear me?" one of the medics asked her, and she felt no need to respond.

"Yang." Blake voiced from beside her. Yang wanted to reach over to grab her, but her arm wouldn't move for some reason. She looked over and saw it on her left side. Well, that would explain it.

"Yang?" the medic said, and her eyes finally opened, trying to focus on him. "Obvious damage aside, your Aura is holding. Good thing it is. But strangely, it seems to be working better than normal. I need to know before treating you..." he said, and Yang's eyes closed again, looking away. "Yang?" he shouted and reached for her head, being pulled away a moment before he would have been punched by her.AC

"She is exceedingly protective of her hair." Ren stated, and the medic nodded.

"Yang?" The medic asked, and turned to Ren. "Thank you." he said, before turning back to Yang. "Please, focus on me. I need you to answer a question." Yang opened her eyes and sleepily looked up at him. "Your Faunus nature... can - it - regenerate?!" Yang blinked at him a few times without saying anything.

"Her father," Ren stated, "has apparently said that she can."

The medic looked at Ren and then back at Yang, "If that is the case, then I shouldn't do any treatment at all. The wound was clean, and has already regenerated around it. How are you?"

"Beaten..." Ren voiced, "but not bloody... With rest... we should be fine."

"What about Jaune and Pyrrha?!" Nora exclaimed.

"If... we knew... where they were..." Ren voiced.

"You two don't look like you are in any position to fight." the medic said to them.

"BUT... LEADER?!"

"If you go into battle right now," the medic said to them, "you will likely just be another casualty."

Nora panted as she tried to speak, but wasn't able to say anything. Ren slumped his way over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. This seemed to be enough to calm her down.

* * *

Pyrrha kissed Jaune, completely breaking down his defences. She maneuvered him over to the open locker. "I'm sorry." she sadly said to him, and used her semblance to force him into the locker. The force of the impact shattered his antlers. He was so stunned by everything he could only stare as Pyrrha closed the locker and launched him away.

* * *

The locker landed, and opened, and Jaune... he didn't so much move as fall out, and stood. He looked about in a daze, completely unsure of where he was, completely unsure of what he should do, and unsure of what was happening. Pyrrha kissed him. Not like his mother had kissed... or like his... MANY... sisters had kissed him. No, it was a kiss to someone loved, as a man and a woman. In that moment, all of his uncertainties faded away. All of his grief and all of his misfortune, but most of all... all of his self-loathing. He stood up and looked about, finding himself in Vale. Where in Vale he wasn't sure. He never was a big city guy. The country was so much less complicated...

He had to stop Pyrrha. Well, he couldn't stop Pyrrha, that was for sure. Nothing could stop Pyrrha... except maybe for the Fire Witch who gavae Ozpin a run for his money. The only thing that could stop her was... sense... from someone who could walk beside her. The only one he could think of was Weiss. He picked up his scroll.

* * *

"We will!" Weiss spoke through Jaune's scroll. "Are you okay?" she asked. In reply, Jaune threw his scroll against the ground and slumped down to his knees, crying.

"Please?" he asked, knowing he would not get a reply.

* * *

His tears shed and his antlers shed, Jaune found his way back to his feet. He once again looked around. He once again had absolutely no idea where he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY DIalogues tumblog.](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/635129021166911488/firen-lhain-chapter-307-evening-star)


	8. Empty Vessel

Jaune shambled down the streets of Vale, still completely unsure of where he was... or what was happening. There wasn't anything he could do without knowing where he was. His head shifted about, here and there... and the entire city seemed empty... ruined... desolate. Jaune stopped as a knife was thrown in front of him. He looked up to see team CRDL.

"What do we have here?!" Russel tauntingly shouted to him, and Cardin pushed him aside.

"What happened to you?!" Sky asked.

"Oh, you know..." Jaune voiced, "broke my antlers, Pyrrha went to pick a fight with one of The Maidens." Jaune looked above them, "There's a dragon circling around." Jaune shambled towards them, and sighed, pausing "And I have absolutely no idea... where am I?.." he said raising his hand.

"How do you not know where you are?" Dove asked.

"Do you want to know how?" Cardin asked, "because, get this, he spent his time at Beacon training." The rest of his team dropped to silence.

"Russel?" Cardin asked, turning towards him, "Get him to the safe zone."

"Do you expect me to?.." Russel asked.

"Yes." Cardin said to his face. "Then get back here. We'll finish our sweep."

"Haven't we already killed them all?" Sky cockily asked.

"How many Grimm does it take to kill someone?" Cardin asked, looking between his team, none of which would give him an answer. The answer was too obvious.

* * *

"Oh, good god!" Jaune shouted as he looked at Blake, Yang, Ren, and Nora. He then turned to Russel. Russel gave him a angry glare. "Thank you." Jaune stated.

"Uh... yeah..." Russel replied, and turned away.

Jaune tried to run towards them, but nearly tumbled. A medic caught him. "I'm... I'm..."

"He... just has trouble balancing..." Ren voiced, as he limped towards Jaune, Nora trying to force herself to her feet. Jaune waved his hand towards them.

"You guys... stay right there..." Jaune voiced, and the two stopped, uncertain of what to do. The medic helped him over to his team, who eagerly caught him and helped him to sit down.

"Are you... alright?" Ren asked him.

"Let's not focus on me." Jaune stated, "I need a situation report."

"Could you... help me to narrow it down a bit?.." Ren asked.

"Blake's barely moving," Nora stated, "but not saying much... which is kind of usual for Blake... except it's not..."

"She's wounded deeply..." Ren voiced.

"Medic think she's fine." Nora stated.

"I said she was fine, physically." the medic stated.

"And Yang?.." Jaune asked.

"She kind of... got her... okay... I mean..." Nora voiced.

"Clarity is precious at the moment." Ren stated, "Yang..." he said to Jaune, and looked him in his eyes, "had her arm cut off..."

Jaune struggled to his feet. Ren and Nora vacillating between wanting to help him and stop him.

"Will he be... alright?.." the medic asked.

"Oh, he loses his antlers all the time." Nora stated, as Jaune shambled to Blake and Yang as they laid on the ground.

"The best thing we can do for him is nourishment." Ren stated. "That said, the troubles of his friends wears deeply upon him."

"I wish I had time to help you all..." the medic voiced. "He might say he's fine, but there's still a chance he'll go into shock. I'll get him food and a blanket. You two just make sure your friend doesn't go anywhere."

"Leader..." Nora voiced.

"He's our leader." Ren stated. "If he wants to go back into combat, we - will - go him."

"Huntsmen..." the medic silently voiced.

"The safe zone exists because we are who we are." Ren stated.

"Exceepptt..." Nora voiced, "We're not... Huntsmen... YE-E-ET."

"I meant more as a concept than a qualification..." Ren voiced, as Jaune reached Blake. He hunched her to gently shake her.

"Blake?" Jaune quietly asked, and at first she didn't move. "Blake." he said once again, and she slowly turned to look him in the eyes, and he sighed. Their silent conversation spoke volumes... volumes that deeply disturbed him. He could not convince her otherwise and just sighed. He leaned down to kiss her on the head and momentarily held her hand. He then turned to Yang and slowly shambled towards her. "Yang." he said, and she heard him, but didn't try to move towards him. Instead it seemed like she tried to crawl away. He grabbed her by the shoulder to prevent her from escaping.

"You can't..." she voiced.

"I can't?" Jaune asked, "What?"

"See me..." Yang voiced.

"Now's not the time for that kind of shit." Jaune voiced. He pulled her on the shoulder, turning her towards him. "You are still one of the most amazing women I have ever known." Yang reached her left hand to where her right had been removed. Jaune grabbed her left hand in his right. He snaked his arm around to grab her by the upper arm, and she did the same to him.

"I'm... broken..." Yang mumbled.

"And I'm not?" Jaune asked.

"I... don't... just mean..." Yang tried to say.

"Neither do I." Jaune replied. Yang leaned up to slump into his chest.

"I hate to say this..." he whispered, "but say goodbye to Blake." Panic appeared on Yang's face, "We WILL see her again." he voiced.

"Hey!" the medic shouted, "You can't!.." he said, and Blake turned black. Her true self now far away. Yang cried into Jaune's chest plate.

"What do we do, Leader?" Nora asked, and Jaune slowly looked at her. "What can we do?! There's no way we can get there in time, and even if we did... what could we do?.." Ren and Nora nervously looked at each other. At this moment a bright light filled the dark sky, banishing any remaining Grimm. "What the hell was that?!" Jaune asked, and looked between a confused Ren and Nora. He then looked to the ground Blake had been lying upon.

* * *

Qrow landed, putting an unconcious Ruby next to her sister.

"What the hell was that?" Jaune asked.

"Didn't anyone tell you that my nieces are special?" Qrow asked, and turned to walk away.

"You're just going to walk away?!"

Qrow turned back to look at him, "I've never been good at this stuff, but they seem to think the world of you. Tell Tai I'm doing exactly what he thinks I am."

"Who's Tai?!" Jaune yelled at him, but Qrow just walked away.

"Now you know," the medic stated, "what it feels like to treat Huntsmen..."

"Do you know who Tai is?" Jaune asked.

"D..." Yang voiced, and Jaune turned to look at her. She just rolled over to look away.

Jaune turned back to Qrow, "Old man?!" he shouted, and Qrow turned to give him a wicked smile. "That's Ruby, but where's Weiss?!"

"If I thought she was in trouble, would I really have left her there?!" Qrow shouted in reply, and turned to walk away. "I might not like Schnees..." he muttered to himself, "but doesn't mean I would..."

The medic tried to sneak up on Jaune with a blanket. Ren was sure to not give this away, but Nora couldn't help but looking eagerly. Jaune followed her gaze and looked over his shoulder, just in time to dodge the medic.

"If you don't calm down," the medic said to him, "you might fall down."

"Falling down is the least of my worries." Jaune said, and looked to Nora. "Nora, Scroll!" Nora quickly threw her scroll at him and he caught it. He opened it up and scrolled down until he found Weiss' name.

* * *

Weiss opened the scroll and found Nora calling. She opened it up, "Nora?" she asked.

"Where are you?!" Jaune bellowed through the scroll.

"Jaune?!" Weiss countered, "How are?.."

"Don't worry about me right now!" he quickly cut her off. "Where are you?! HOW are you?!"

"I am quite alright." Weiss replied, "Where are you?"

"The safe zone." Jaune stated, "I'm with Ruby, Yang, and... and... my... my team..." he voiced. Despite his assurances, he really did not seem to be fine. But if she asked him directly, she would likely get another direct rebuke. If she used her glyphs, she could likely get to the safe zone in a few minutes... "I will be there shortly." Weiss said into her scroll, and swears she heard Jaune crying on the other side.

* * *

Weiss used her glyphs to zip along the ground, stopping when her sister's gaudy airship landed in front of her. She stood up with proper posture as she picked up her scroll.

"Weiss?" Jaune said through the scroll.

"I'm afraid..." Weiss voiced, "our reunion... will be... a bit delayed..."

"Are you alright?!" Jaune asked.

"I am... quite alright..." she tepidly said to him.

"You don't sound alright." Jaune replied.

"It seems... my sister... has come... to retrieve me..." Weiss voiced.

"She's not taking you back to that racist bastard, is she?!" Jaune asked. Winter's face went from cold to downright sour. In reply Weiss simply breathed sharply, trying to control her feelings, trying to stop the dark blue flush from covering her from head to toe.

"Weiss!" Winter sharply stated, "You need to control your..."

"NO - YOU - DON'T!" Jaune shouted through his scroll. "You are the most beautiful, elegant, amazing woman I know! I don't care what that bastard says to you, you are wonderful the way you are! What... what's your sister's name?"

"Winter." Weiss simply stated, and Winter looked ever more shocked at this.

"Hold the scroll towards her." Jaune stated, and Weiss defiantly held the scroll towards her sister. "Are you the same as her?!" he asked.

"We are sisters!" Winter firmly replied.

"Weiss, you know what I'm asking, don't you?" Jaune asked.

"Indeed." Weiss replied.

"Classified!" Winter shouted.

"Bullshit!" Jaune shouted through the scroll. "There is NOTHING wrong with the way you are, and if your racist piece of shit of a father can't see this, it's his own loss. Just don't let it drag you down!"

Winter stood silently for a moment, not wanting to justify what he said with a reply. Instead she addressed Weiss directly. "Are you done - speaking to your classmate - Sister?" Winter asked.

"Jaune, I..." Weiss tried to say, but had so much she wanted to say she couldn't decide between them.

"Don't stay locked up there forever." Jaune said through the scroll, and Weiss gasped, grasping her heart with her free hand. "Even if it's not for me... forget about me... what about Ruby?!"

"Your friend will be quite alright." Winter stated.

"Friend?!" an offended Weiss asked, "She is my leader! You know what I've learned here?! Skill isn't everything." Winter let out an incredibly offended scoff. "I guess that's not a lesson you ever learned, is it?!" Weiss shouted.

Winter in turn looked offended, her skin... her minute feathers... turned a dark blue hue.

"At least now..." Jaune mumbled through the scroll, "I know there's no one as amazing as Weiss... Wait, we're still connected... Uhhhhhh?.."

"I appreciate... your concern..." Weiss replied, "and everything you have done for me... It was... touching..."

"Just don't forget how amazing you are..." Jaune said through the scroll. Weiss had a full light blue flush. She wanted to say something more, anything more, but could not, and simply closed her scroll.

"It's good to see you are being reasonable, sister." Winter stated.

"We both know you wouldn't stop..." Weiss said to her. "You ran away from home... into Ironwood's arms as soon as you could... We all know Father wouldn't stop... and what it would do to my friends if I tried to resist."

"And what do you propose, Sister?" Winter asked her.

"I don't know, maybe that I be allowed to live my own life?" Weiss asked her, as she properly walked up to her sister. Winter's dark blue blush grew even darker, and she dejectedly looked down.

"We both know that neither of us had that option..." Winter voiced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/635400816832004096/firen-lhain-chapter-308-empty-vessel) tumblog.


	9. Lost Light

Taiyang walked into the medical station, and found the five together under two blankets. The medic quickly ran up to him. "Sir?" he said, and Taiyang just glared at him, "I would advise against moving any of them... Do you know how much trouble it was to get them to stay still?"

"My daughters?.." Taiyang asked.

"The one on the left, along with her partner are simply exhausted." the medic stated, "Though I would still recommend against moving them. The younger one is... I really... don't know... what happened... but she doesn't seem to have any physical injuries."

"Just like her mother..." Taiyang voiced. "And the one on the right?"

"You... might want to sit down..." the medic said to him, and Taiyang did just that. He found a place to sit down, looking at them, though not too close. "If you are her father, you can answer a question I really need a solid answer to?" Taiyang just looked up at him. "Can she regenerate?" Taiyang slowly nodded, and the medic breathed a great sigh of relief. "I... did... the right thing... Her Aura is controlling her injuries... but... that doesn't seem to be the real problem..."

"She can't handle it?," Taiyang asked, "can she?" and the medic shook his head. "And the guy in the middle?"

"Broken antlers. His friends claim he can regenerate them pretty quickly with enough food and rest. He's also suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and various minor injuries. I just got them all to stand still... and he wouldn't... unless they were all together."

"His... friends... said?.." Taiyang asked.

"He was the hardest to get to sit still." the medic stated, "He wouldn't do anything for himself... or.. even say anything about himself... until he was satisfied... He... apparently... had a bit of a shouting match with the family of one of their team mates when they came to claim her."

"Where's Blake?" Taiyang asked.

"Was she the... black haired girl?.." the medic asked, and Taiyang nodded. "She... um... disappeared... She apparently used her Semblance, which is... like a shadow copy of herself and something... She had minor injuries and diminished Aura, but... I don't think the physical injuries were the issue."

Taiyang looked down for a moment before looking up at him. "What... can I do?.."

"Be here when they wake up... maybe... help me get them some hot food for when they wake up... I will remind you that the physical injuries are not necessarily the deepest ones."

Taiyang brought his hands to his face as he cried. He had plenty of time before he had to try and act like he was together.

* * *

Yang started to rouse, and look about. Ruby was next to her, but that obviously wasn't just it. Beyond her was Jaune, and beyond him Ren and Nora. She turned her head to see Jaune's armour behind him. She turned her head back to look at her father with a lost expression.

"My Summer Dragon..." he voiced, and she just stared at him a moment before looking around once again. Whoever or whatever she was looking for, she couldn't find it. "I'm here for you, sweetie." Taiyang said to her, and she slowly blinked in reply. "I'll... I'll... get you guys something to eat..." he said, and turned to walk away. This left Yang nothing to do but stare into space.

* * *

Ren was the next to revive, and as he slowly moved to look around found Nora rousing beside him. He looked around to see a man approaching who looks kind of like Yang. "Mr. Xiao Long, I presume?" he asked.

"That's... that's me..." Taiyang replied, "You're a friend of my daughters?"

"I certainly hope so." Nora added. "So, you're um, both of their fathers, because, I mean, it looks like..." she said, and paused, "I'm going to shut up now..."

"Indeed." Ren stated.

Taiyang them brought them up bowls of food, and handed it to them. "Do you two know what happened?"

"Oh, it was crazy." Nora stated. "There was Grimm EVERYWHERE, and explosions, and this weird guy with a tophat, and Jaune and Pyrrha ran off... and only one came back... and a Dragon!.. and... then the robots started attacking people..."

Taiyang looked at Ren, "From my daughters' letters, this is where you would correct her..."

"Oh?" Ren asked, "This time I can attest to everything she's said."

"Ha!" Nora shouted, "Even I can be right, sometimes."

"I would like to know what happened to the Dragon?" Ren asked, and Jaune finally seemed to rouse.

"And you must be Jaune?" Taiyang asked, and Jaune quickly looked around. His lack of antlers ruined his balance and he nearly toppled over. He was saved by Ren quickly bracing him.

"If I have to be..." Jaune voiced.

Taiyang handed him a bowl. "It sounds like you did everything you could to protect my daughters..."

"And what a complete failure that was..." Jaune voiced. "Your brother, I think, was the one who grabbed Ruby. He wanted me to say something to you, but I can't for the life of me remember..."

"You're awfully chipper for someone who's been through hell." Taiyang voiced.

"Yeah, well, I'm still too stressed about everything to be relaxing." Jaune voiced.

"Our Leader would go to the end of Remnant," Nora stated, "For us... or RWBY..."

"Do?.." Jaune asked, "Do you know what happened with her?.."

"I do." Taiyang affirmed.

"Care to uh... share it?.." Jaune asked.

"In due time. For the time being we need to get you students someplace safe."

"My family's outside of Vale..." Jaune voiced, "and they..." he said, and looked at his remaining teammates.

"You can all come to Patch." Taiyang stated. "It's... the least I could do." Yang looked over with a lost look. "And we can talk there..." he added.

"That sounds..." Ren stated, "entirely reasonable..."

"Really good cook, too." Nora stated as she slurped her noodles.

"I... guess... we... don't have anything else... to lose..." Jaune stated. "What... about the school?" he asked.

"Glynda and the Masters can take care of it." Taiyang stated. "They'll tell me when they get it back up and running again."

"I guess..." Jaune sighed, "that answers all of my questions..." He then turned to look at Yang, "Yang?" he asked, and she turned to look at him... looking in his direction without really focusing.

"How's your team doing?" Taiyang asked, and Jauned looked over the five together under the blankets.

"Two teams." he replied. Two teams of four... and they only had five with them...

Ruby started to rouse, and found herself snuggling up to something large and warm and enveloping...

"Morning." Jaune said to her, she quickly lifted her head up and eagerly looked in his eyes. Her tail began wagging under the blanket, brushing up and down against Yang's legs. Yang let out a brief giggle, but when everyone looked at her they saw her distant, dispondant, crestfallen self.

"What happend to?.." Ruby asked, and found Jaune's shoulder wrapping around her.

Taiyang coughed, and she looked over at her father. "Hi, Dad." she stated.

"Ruby..." Taiyang voiced. "Your sister... went through something... quite traumatic."

"What?.." Ruby asked, "What?.."

"We... need to support her..." Taiyang stated, and Ruby silently nodded. "Now, why don't you tell me what kind of relationship you have with?.."

"What, Jaune?" Ruby eagerly asked, "He's like wicked cool... except for the first day... but he talked to me... while I was babbling... and..." she paused as Yang let out another giggle.

"If you girls... and guys... are ready, we can take you back to Patch..." Taiyang stated.

Jaune looked around for a moment, before looking Taiyang in the eyes. "What, all of us?"

"Until... you decide what to do... you'll need a place to stay..." Taiyang stated. "Whatever you mean to my daughters, you obviously care about them, obviously want to protect them, are important to them, and from their messages... you guys don't have anywhere else to go, do you?"

Jaune shyly looked down.

"WE! -" Nora shouted, "GET - TO HAVE - A SLEEP OVER!"

"Wait?!" Ruby asked, "A sleep over?! Like... me having a sleep over... not Yang having one with me watching from the..."

"Yes." Taiyang said with a tired smile.

Ruby literally shook with excitement. She pulled the blanket off herself and stood up, holding her hand out to Yang. Yang, in turn, just laid there, trying not to look anyone in the eyes. Jaune stood up and stretched, and began putting on his armour. Nora and Ren quickly joining him. Once Jaune was in his armour, he walked over to Yang, picked her up, and kissed on the side of her head. Yang did her best to not react.

"Where's Blake and Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"Weiss' sister came to pick her up..." Jaune stated.

"She's very Weissy." Ruby added, "Even more Weissy than Weiss."

"She did NOT want to go with her." Nora stated, "You should have heard Jaune shouting at her."

"At Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"Her sister." Jaune stated.

"That makes more sense..." Ruby voiced. "And Blake?"

"She disappeared." Ren stated.

"She's... afraid of something..." Jaune stated, "someone..."

"Who?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know..." Jaune added, "but so afraid she had to run away... I... I tried to... She's so afraid..."

"Easy there, big guy." Nora stated.

"And Pyrrha?" Taiyang asked. In reply Ruby and Jaune started crying. Soon enough Yang joined them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Tai picked up the remaining piece of Ember Celica.
> 
> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/635763210398711808/firen-lhain-chapter-309-lost-light) tumblog.


	10. Pharos Over the Horizon

Jaune put Yang down on a chair on the ferry's deck. "You going to be okay?" he asked her, and she lightly nodded.

"Jaune." Taiyang said to him, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Yes, sir." Jaune replied.

"Sir?" Taiyang asked.

"You are like super old." Nora stated, and Taiyang stopped in his tracks, looking pale in his face. He breathed in deeply and walked into the cabin, Jaune following right behind him.

"Sir?" Jaune asked.

Taiyang breathed in deeply for a few moments before turning to face him. "First, I would like to thank you for all you have done for my daughters..."

"And?" Jaune nervously asked.

"And?.." Taiyang asked, "I'm afraid I have to ask this, but," he said, and paused, "what is your intention with my daughters?"

"Intention?" Jaune asked, "Uh... to help them not die?"

Taiyang breathed for a moment before replying. "That's... really all you want?"

"It doesn't matter how much I want it." Jaune voiced, "I've never been a lady's man. Which, by the way, if Yang calls me Ladykiller, it's 100% ironic."

"She what?" Taiyang asked, and then his face relaxed, "That... does... sound like my Summer Dragon." Jaune looked at him questioningly. "That's that's what her name means."

"Ahhhh..." Jaune voiced.

"Then, if you just want to help them, why did you kiss Yang?"

"What, that?" Jaune asked, "That's what I did to my sisters."

"You have sisters?" Taiyang asked.

"LOTS... of sisters." Jaune stated.

"How many?.." Taiyang asked.

"Seven." Jaune stated. "I'm almost the baby, but not quite..."

"So?.." Taiyang asked, "You're saying you think of my daughters... as sisters?.."

It was Jaune's turn to take a moment breathing in deeply, "Make no mistake sir, I would be more than happy to be their beau. But I swear to you I have not tried anything at all."

"Other than sister kissing?" Taiyang asked.

"The only one I have asked out was Weiss."

"That Atlasian?" Taiyang asked, and Jaune nodded.

Jaune's eyes brightened. "She is... amazing..."

"How does Ruby get along with her?" Taiyang asked.

"She says she's Weissy, but she's Weissy because she cares." Jaune stated.

"Uh... huh?.." Taiyang asked.

"I hope I'm not out of line here." Jaune stated, "But, is Weiss?," he asked, and paused for a moment, "Ruby's first real friend?" Taiyangsilently nodded. "That's how much Weiss means to her. And despite what Weiss might say in reply, she cares just as much about Ruby."

"She cares?" Taiyang asked.

"She nags because she cares." Jaune replied, "and, I mean to say... my point was... my hitting on Weiss really did not go well. Really-really... did not go well, and I've just been afraid to try it with anyone else. Besides, they are my first friends, too." Jaune said, and leaned against the wall. Fumbling thanks to his lack of antlers. When he was younger he never would have thought he would get used to them. He nervously laughed for a moment and looked at Taiyang who seemed to be intent on waiting for him. "Okay, so, yeah, friends?, and I REALLY don't want to screw this up."

"And... Blake?.." Taiyang asked.

"She... she was so afraid." Jaune stated, "But not for herself... for... us... maybe?"

With this Taiyang sighed, "Yang," he whispered, "might not act like it, but Blake was her first real friend, as well. I am so worried about them."

"I'll - do - whatever I can." Jaune replied, and Taiyang sighed once again.

"I still don't know if that's going to be enough." Taiyang voiced. "And Pyrrha?" he asked with a normal conversation tone.

"She fought one of THE Maidens." Jaune stated.

"And?" Taiyang asked. Jaune dejectedly slumped his head forward in reply... which caused him to fall onto the ground. He quickly stood up, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"You're secret's safe with me." Taiyang said with a weak smile. "But I'm pretty sure my daughters have already figured it out. Jaune once again slumped his head. "And forgiven you for it." Taiyang stated, walking back around the corner. Jaune walked out to the deck and up to his team.

"How?.. are we doing?.." Jaune asked them, and Nora looked at him tearfully. She looked like she needed a hug, and Jaune opened his arms. Nora quickly dashed inside and he wraps his arms around her. "She meant a lot to us."

"And we, her." Ren added. Jaune looked at him, seeing tearful eyes. Jaune reached his arm out. Ren grasped his hand, which Jaune used to pull him in for a powerful hug.

"I... can only hope..." Jaune stated.

"She was always smiling with you." Ruby said from her seat.

"She was always smiling." Jaune said in reply, causing Yang to let out a loud scoff. Once she realized their eyes met, she quickly turned to break their gaze, and then ever so slowly drifted away.

"She was happy when she was with you." Ruby stated. "Which, kind of makes sense, because the only times YOU saw her, she was smiling, because she was with YOU. Right?"

Jaune let go of his team mates and turned towards her. "How?," he asked, "are you handling it, Ruby?"

"I..." she voiced, "honestly don't know. I still... still don't know what happened." She slowly reached under her cloak and pulled out Pyrrha's tiara. Jaune stood, staring at it for a moment before reaching his hands towards it. Reaching... but not wanting to touch... as if...

"She'd want you to have it." Nora voiced. Jaune withdrew his hand a bit and looked at her. "You... meant the world to her. Kind of like you do for us."

"You guys..." Jaune stated, "haven't... for that..."

"It seems, "Ren voiced, "as if our world has changed since being around you." Ren voiced, "And apparently you do not understand how profoundly it has." Ruby shook the tiara a couple of times before withdrawing it. "Please," Ren continued, "take a seat."

Jaune quietly sat beside Ruby. Ruby held the tiara out to him once again, and he reached over to grab it. He could barely hold it, he was so shaken.

"Leader?" Ren asked, and Jaune pulled the tiara in and looked at Ren, and then Nora. "Our village was attacked... when we were young..."

"B..." Jaune tried to say, but Ren held up his hand and Jaune immediately stopped.

"Since, we have not had a home."

"We traveled ALL OVER THE PLACE." Nora added.

"But no place was our home." Ren continued, "Some accepted us, some did not. But none were more than a place to rest our heads."

"We only had each other, UUNNTTIILL." Nora voiced.

"Until." Ren added, and Jaune and Ruby eagerly looked at him. Yang slightly turning her head towards them, looking out of the corner of her eyes. "It is obvious."

"Oh, come on, we NEED to TELL HIM." Nora added.

"In... deed..." Ren grumbled. "I do believe... Yang... was the one... who said it best..."

"Now we can die TTOOGGEETTHHEERR!" Nora shouted.

A faint smile appeared on Yang's face before fading a moment later, and she slowly turned back away.

"What we had... in the Emerald Forest... was unlike anything we had ever had before..."

"And we kind of hope you feel the same way." Nora added.

"I've..." Jaune tried to say... "I've... been trying... to keep the plates spining ever since..."

With this Taiyang looked around the corner a moment before hiding again.

"You've been, what?.." Ruby asked, and Jaune quickly looked at her.

"I've never really had friends before." Jaune voiced, "And as it is, right now, you are the most important people in my life."

"Even more than your OODLES of SISTERS?!"

"SO much more than my seven sisters." Jaune stated. "My family never supported me. Even knowing how TERRIBLE I am." Jaune voiced, and Yang looked angry for a moment before quickly forcing it away, "You guys... still did. I could not... have accomplished anything... without you..."

"Well, yeah!" Ruby replied, "But the same goes for you, so HA."

"Ha?" Jaune asked.

"Ha!" Ruby replied.

"Ha?" Jaune asked once again.

"I do believe she means," Ren voiced, "that you helped her as much as she has helped you."

"Exactly!" Ruby added. "You were, like, the only one that talked to me... and wasn't immediately put off by babbling about weapons... which... I'll admit... I still have a bit of a problem with."

"It's adorable that you treat Crescent Rose as part of the family." Jaune said with a weak smile.

"Thank you," Ruby said with deep sincerity, "for saying that." Ruby said to him.

"And as long as you take good care of her, you - can play - with Corcea Mors as much as you want."

"so, um?" Ruby asked, "I... uh... killed a Dragon?.."

"Not quite." Taiyang said as he walked around the corner. "It's hard to describe. It's not moving."

"Like a statue?!" Nora asked.

"A... very... lifelike... one..." Taiyang stated.

"And what about Cinder?" Ruby asked.

"From Qrow's message, she wasn't there when he showed up."

"Okay..." Ruby voiced, "What about Ironwood?"

Taiyang breathed in deeply for a moment. "Remember that I am basing this off of Qrow's report... The um.. Tinman... tucked his tail between his legs and returned to Atlas... Qrow thinks he was too embarassed when the Knights turned against him."

"And the Paladins!" Ruby added.

"Wait, really?" Taiyang asked, "You guys took on a Paladin?"

"Oonneeee..." Ruby voiced.

"How many?" Taiyang asked.

"It was kind of chaotic... you know... at Beacon... in Vale... on the train..."

"What train?" Taiyang asked.

"Oh, what?, psh." Ruby stated, "What train?"

"Ruby." Jaune admonished.

"Okay... fine... there was train... underground... planning on ramming the end in Vale with a bomb... lots... lots of bomb... and GRIMM!"

"Is that how Grimm got in the City?!" Taiyang asked.

"We did the best we could?" Ruby asked, "Which doesn't sound as cool now that I've said it."

"It!" Taiyang said, "IT!"

"Yes?" Ren asked.

"YES?!" Nora shouted.

"Reminds me of my time in Beacon." Taiyang voiced, "That really brings me bacl. Team STRQ was... a little... infamous at the end there." Taiyang paused and sighed. "How's the sea air doing for you girls?" he asked.

"Better than Jaune's airsickenss..." Ruby stated, and Jaune suddenly looked sick. Yang momentarily smiled before drifting away again. "Really?" Ruby asked.

"In my defence, I don't have my antlers right now, and I guess they helped keep my head steady..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/636035005103128576/firen-lhain-chapter-310-pharos-over-the-horizon) tumblog.


	11. Janus

"So?" Winter asked in from the pilot seat, "This Mr. - Arc?, what is your relationship with him?"

"He is with team JNPR." Weiss stated, "In fact, he is the LEADER of team JNPR."

"Is that it?" Winter asked.

"He has asked me out a couple of times, but other than that has been..." she said, and paused, a look of shock appearing on her face.

"Sister?" Winter asked.

"He," Weiss voiced, "has always - been - respectful. He has no not asked for a single thing in reply."

"Other than your hand, apparently." Winter sharply said to her.

Weiss gently grabbed her right hand with her left before letting go. "He asked me twice, the second time was for the dance. He hasn't shown any interest in the perks of dating a Schnee. I don't think he even KNOWS dating me would come with perks. As disturbing as it is, he truly seemed interested in myself?"

"I would hope you would not be deluded enough to believe this." Winter said to her.

"This is not Atlas." Weiss stated, "This is not even Mantle. Jaune isn't from the Kingdoms, but somewhere outside of Vale."

"Do you truly believe?" Winter asked.

"I do." Weiss replied.

"He has no respect for authority." Winter stated.

"Which is one thing I've learned in Beacon." Weiss replied.

"That disreputable men from outside the Kingdoms do not have a proper respect for authority?" Winter asked.

"That authority often needs to be disrespected." Weiss said, and Winter wasn't sure how to reply. "All of our lives we have deferred to our Father. The only reason you stopped is that you began doing this to General Ironwood."

"You would have the audacity to insult my?.." Winter tried to ask.

"I would not." Weiss said to her, "But I would ask for the same courtesy in reply."

Once again Winter just stared out the window for a moment. "Do you truly think you can succeed?" Winter asked.

It was Weiss' turn to pause for a moment. "I would give my life to try."

"You would do that to our family?" Winter asked.

Weiss paused for a moment. "I," she voiced, "have since learned the meaning of family, and I would say it is not how Father would speak of it. I will cut a swath across the world, as Weiss Schnee, granddaughter of Nicholas Schnee. Not Weiss Schnee, daughter of Jacques."

Winter noticed how one had a surname while the other did not, and was not sure what to say about it. In truth, at least part of her agreed with her sister's assessment. Her determination made it seem possible for Weiss to do this. If Winter wanted anything it would be to offer her sister her support, but, alas, it could not be. She had her orders to retrieve Weiss and bring her home. She could not refuse. Even if she had somehow managed to fail at her task, others would soon follow. Her sister's desire for freedom was a fool's errand. One she wished the best for.

"There is at least one thing you will be proud of me for, Sister." Weiss augustly stated.

'I've always been proud of you.' Winter thought to herself.

"At the battle, I was able to summon a great sword with my Semblance." Weiss proudly said, "It cut a Paladin in twain."

"Just remember, now that you are on the cusp of fully using your Semblance, you must practice even MORE."

"Yes, Sister." Weiss replied.

* * *

Blake leaned against a tree and put her book down, sighing. They had, somehow, grown too dear to her. But, she couldn't let herself get attached. If she got attached. Adam might happen again... or come again.

Adam was unique, in so many ways. She had no reason to think that RWBY would follow that path... that Yang... would follow that path. She didn't think Adam would follow that path, either. Looking back on it, though she could see the spite, the anger, the bile. She thought he was a great leader, but he had no intention of leading, of building. He only wanted to tear things down. He only wanted to tear the Humans down.

She couldn't see how tearing the Humans down would make Faunus better, at all. They weren't at war with the Humans; they wanted peace with the Humans. She wanted peace, her parents wanted peace, but Adam... he didn't just want peace, he didn't even want war, he just wanted to HURT people, and Yang was already hurt enough as it was, nevermind what happened.

How could he do that to her?, or anyone?

He didn't care about whowas. He didn't care that Yang was just trying to protect her. All he cared about was hurting her.

No.

He cared that Blake cared for her. That's where his spite came from. Blake dared to have feelings for another. This meant this if she spent time around them, any time at all, Adam would come for them. If she was alone, Adam would come for her alone.

She breathed deep and stretched against the tree. Her eyes opened with a start and she quickly looked around. She almost gave into her animal nature. It was such a horrible taboo. How could JNPR be so comfortable with it? She stood up and looked into the woods longingly, unsure of what she was looking for? No, she couldn't look back to them. If she did, she would want to return, and that would be the worst outcome for them. She had to find a ship, away from Vale. A ship that could take her to Menagerie. She had to get away...

* * *

Blake woke in the middle of the night, and stood, looking out into the glimmering dark, her eyeshine enhancing the moonlight. She thought back to the night, when her world changed, when Jaune snuck up on their roost. It was so warm. It was the first time someone helped her without being asked, without wanting anything in return. Other than her parents, of course.

She smiled as she thought back to her parents, but it all soured as she thought of their sidelining in the White Fang. Her father was now the headman in Kuo Kuana, meaning the Faunus still appreciated everything they have done. She felt a warm swathe wrap around her shoulder and press against her back as she remembered Jaune's arrival.

She shook her head to clear the cobwebs.

* * *

Blake fled through the woods, trying to focus on her journey. With nothing else to do, she had plenty of time to think; too much time to think, about the ones she was leaving behind. She cursed herself for letting her think back to them, to her most wonderful friends, to the ones who would do anything for her. The ones who were always there with her. She didn't have to be best, she didn't have to do everything herself. She didn't have ot be anything, but part of the team. It was too wonderful, too fleeting. It had to be a dream, one that turned into a nightmare.

* * *

Weiss sat in the back seat of the airship trying her best to sit properly, but the long flight, and long night, were having their toil on her. She nodded and then quickly sat at attention. This happened over a couple hours, with the spells becoming more and more vigilant.

Winter pressed some controls and then turned to her sister. "Sister?" she asked, and Weiss snapped herself back to sitting at attention. "As a Huntress, your health and combat effectiveness of the greatest concern."

"Pardon?" Weiss asked her.

"If you push yourself too far, you will only break, and everyone who depends on you will falter." Winter said to her, and Weiss again looked at her questioningly. Winter breathed in deeply before continuing, "If you need to sleep, then you must sleep."

"Sorry..." Weiss voiced, "I just wanted to..."

"Yes?" Winter asked her.

"I wanted to make you proud."

"Of course I'm proud." Winter said sharply, and Weiss's eyes grew wide with shock. "Now get some sleep."

* * *

Blake woke up just dawn and looked around once again. She gathered what little she had with her and was quickly on her way.

* * *

Once again the thoughts came. The feelings came. The images of her friends came. The look of their face as they were wrent and slashed by Adam chilled her to her bones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted on my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/636397432090001408/firen-lhain-chapter-311-janus) tumblog.


	12. From Summer to Fall

"Welcome home, girls." Taiyang said as he unlocked the door, and Zwei came running out. Ruby bent down to pet him.

"Oh!" Nora exclaimed. Ruby and Zwei turned to look at Nora holding up her hand. Zwei ran over until he saw Yang in Jaune's arms, and looked up at her nervously. Ruby then got down on all fours and whispered into his ear.

"She'll need your help later, but go on, say hello."

Zwei eagerly ran up to Nora, who crouched down to pet him.

"Until we get this settled," Taiyang stated, "you guys can stay with us, here."

"That is very generous of you, sir." Jaune said to him.

"Yeah, well... not only do my girls think highly of you..." Taiyang stated, "but they also said you wouldn't really have any other place to go." He then stepped aside and gestured inside, "Don't worry about your shoes." Ruby ran in on all fours. Jaune stepped up to the threshold and then stepped through.

"Where should I?.." Jaune asked.

"The couch?" Ruby asked, as Ren bowed to Taiyang before following him inside. Nora walked to the door, causing Zwei to run inside. Nora walked in as Jaune put Yang on the couch. He looked Yang in the eyes and ruffled her hair before standing up. Ruby in reply gasped out loud, and Jaune looked at her questioningly.

"Hm?" Jaune asked.

"You - touched - her -hair?!" Ruby exclaimed.

"uh... huh?.."

Taiyang closed the door. "That's either a sign that she trusts you implicitly, or a sign of just how far gone she is."

Jaune nervously reached up to her hair, trying to put all the hairs back in place. "I... didn't... do... that much..." He then paused, a shocked look developed on his face, and he stepped back. "Yang?" he asked, and she didn't reply.

Zwei nervously looked up at her. Jaune tapped him on his butt, and he jumped up. He sat in Yang's lap and licked her on the face, but again, she didn't move. Her arm did somehow find it's way to his back.

"I really don't think we should..." Jaune said as he looked at Yang, pausing to find Taiyang's hand on his shoulder. Taiyang nodded to the kitchen.

* * *

Taiyang, Ruby, and JNR stood around the kitchen table. "This... is going to take time..." Taiyang nervously voiced.

"But can't we?.." Jaune tried to say, and Taiyang held up his hand, causing Jaune to stop.

"This... will take time, and, unfortunately, the only one that can get Yang moving again is - Yang. I'm not asking - or telling you to not try to help her. Ijust want you to understand that her wounds are deep, some place that not even her aura can heal her."

"Can we?.." Jaune asked, "help?"

"Help?.." Taiyang asked, and blinked, "her aura..." he said and blinked once again, "heal her mind? I can't tell if you are brilliant are stupid."

"This happens, like, all the time." Nora stated.

"For the record," Ren stated, "it's usually the former."

"What can we do?" Ruby asked.

With this, Taiyang shrugged. "Talk to her, be with her, fight with her..."

"She does have one hell of a punch." Nora stated.

"Indeed." Ren added, and Taiyang sighed.

"I'd love to take credit, but I certainly didn't teach her _that_." Taiyang stood back and looked around the kitchen for a moment. "I'm sure Ruby can help you settle in. I have to go do a bit of shopping. I wasn't expecting company."

"We'll be fine, daaad." Ruby stated. Taiyang smiled and then nodded.

"I'll see you kids later." Taiyang stated, and walked out the back door.

* * *

Ruby along with JNR walked back into the living room, with Jaune staring at Yang. "I want to try something." he said. He walked over, picked Yang up, sat down, and put her in his lap. He was expecting to startle her out of complacency, but instead she just snuggled up into him.

"Not what I expected." Jaune voiced.

"Well, you've made your bed, and have to lie in it." Ren stated.

"No," Nora stated, "he made Yang's bed and has to let her lie in it." In reply Ren simply smiled.

"I totally have to get a picture of this." Ruby stated, as she patted her pockets and sighed. She turned to Ren and Nora, only to have Nora already holding out her scroll. Ruby opened it up and took the picture, "She's going to be so embarassed about this, later."

"Your sister is nearly catatonic?, Ren asked, "and the most important thing for you is to embarass her later?"

"It's a sister thing." Ruby stated.

"Can confirm." Jaune added, and then paused, afraid he might of disturbed the beautiful creature snuggling into his lap.

"It's like he's got a cat in his lap, or something." Nora voiced.

Ruby walked over to the couch and sat down, "Zwei?" she asked. Zwei was looking up at Yang before looking to Ruby. "Come here, boy." Ruby said, and Zwei quickly jumped up into Ruby's lap. He snuggled up and looked up at Yang, who seemed content there. Zwei, in turn, was content himself and Ruby started petting him.

Nora stepped toward the couch, gesturing to it a few times, and Ren just looked at her quizzically. She sighed and quickly gave up.

* * *

Taiyang walked into the house. "Girls... uh... everyone? I'm home!"

"Hi mister Xiao Long!" Nora exclaimed.

"Hi... uh... what smells like cooking?"

"I'm going to go with COOKING!" Nora exclaimed.

"Who? what?" Taiyang asked.

"We have agreed to help pay for our room and board," Ren stated, "by helping you with household chores."

"Did I have enough? Taiyang asked, "for a full house?"

"Our leader seems to have found a way." Nora stated.

Taiyang made to move to the kitchen, but paused, and looked between Nora and Ren. "And how are you two doing?"

"Well," Nora stated, "I seem to flip between laughing and crying, and Ren is well... Ren..." she said, gresturing to him.

"It's," Ren voiced with deep, even tones, "my Semblance. I can sublimate my negative emotions, but still feel them."

"But... I mean... like..." Nora voiced, "Pyrrha was the best of us - and - and, without her?.. I mean!.."

"We still have everything she taught us." Ren voiced, and Nora's breathing started to even out.

"Okay, yeah, but Jaune?" Nora asked, and Ren slumped back on the couch with a dejected face. "He's hanging on, by like, a thread."

Ren sat back. "The best we can do is support him in anything he needs."

"Well, yeah, duh?.." Nora asked.

"Uh," Taiyang voiced, "if you'll excuse me?"

"Oh?" Ren asked and stood up, "Pardon us." He then stepped forward, arms out towards Taiyang. Nora did the same right after, and Taiyang gave them the bags. Nora and Ren walked towards the kitchen and put the paper bags on the table.

"So, like?," Nora asked, and Jaune looked back from his pot. "Uh, where does this go?" Jaune just shrugged and looked back at his pot.

* * *

Taiyang knocked on Ruby's door. "Uh, come in!" Ruby shouted, "I mean, come right in! I mean..."

"It's me, sweetie." Taiyang replied, and loud shuffling could be heard through the door.

"Uh... come in?.." Ruby asked, and Taiyang opened the door.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"I mean, yeah, sure." a flustered Ruby stated.

Taiyang walked in and closed the door. "Ruby?" he asked.

"Yeah, dad?" Ruby replied.

"I was kind of surprised to find you here with friends in the house."

"Well... you see... this is my first time... with friends... here... and I have NO IDEA what to do... I mean..." she said, and started breathing really quickly.

"I'm sure, after everything you've been together, you friends will have accepted you by now." Taiyang said to her, and her breathing started to even out.

"You sure, dad?" Ruby asked.

"I'm sure." he voiced. Before he could react Ruby was on all fours running out of the room. Taiyang stood up and walked out, and over to Yang's room. He knocked the door but got no answer. "Yang?!" He asked, and knocked again. Once again he got no answer and slowly opened the door. He saw Yang huddled up on her bed. He stepped towards her and she clutched her arms to her chest and rolled away. "I guess you need some time." he said, and stepped back, closing the door.

* * *

Jaune stepped out of the kitchen. "Dinner!" he shouted. "Get everyone around the table."

"I don't now about Yang..." Nora voiced, "She's kind of..."

"Her father," Ren added, "said she will likely", he said, and paused, "need some time."

"uh-huh?" Jaune asked, "Not going to happen."

"Ooh!" Nora shouted and jumped to her feet, "Can I help?!"

"Nah," Jaune stated, "I got it. Nora, you can start bringing the food to the table."

Nora saluted in reply.

* * *

Jaune opened Yang's door and walked into her room. She flinched at his arrival, but tried not to respond to him. He walked over to her bed and quickly picked her up. She moved her head about in the shock as Jaune walked off with her.

* * *

Jaune sat her in a chair and pushed her into the table. "Dinner is dinner!" he stated, "Everyone eats." Yang had trouble focusing on what was happening until a plate of food appeared in front of her. She slowly reached out to the cutlery and slowly began eating.

"So?," Nora asked, "what about my headphones?"

"Once they are sure it's safe, they will collect everyone's personal belongings." Taiyang stated. "I messaged Glynda while I was out, so she'll know where to send your stuff."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: PTSD doesn't normally hit in the field, but far enough away from combat for the person to consider themselves safe.
> 
> Season 4 of Firen Lhain starts next Saturday. Season 4 and 5 will be updated 3 times a week, Sat / Sun / Mon. Subsequent seasons are longer, and will be broken into parts. Uploading will start on Saturday on my RWBY Dialogues tumblog, and will be uploaded to AO3 when the final part is uploaded to my blog, (likely Monday).
> 
> Originally uploaded to my [RWBY Dialogues](https://rwbyvein.tumblr.com/post/636669179116863488/firen-lhain-chapter-312-from-summer-to-fall) tumblog.


End file.
